Message from the Director

Awareness of homelessness and the attendant issues began to receive mainstream attention in the late 1980’s. Here in Columbus a group of concerned citizens and service providers came together to address the challenges presented by homelessness and to work together to address those challenges. From those discussions, a network – the Metropolitan Columbus Task Force for the Homeless- was formed. Now years later (and with a shorter name!), we continue to partner with the community to seek solutions to homelessness.

As local homelessness has grown, we too have grown from a completely volunteer effort to a comprehensive organization with a staff of five. Our staff and volunteers now serve more than 1,300 unique people experiencing homelessness in a year while continuing to partner with the community to build awareness, make connections to resources and create solutions. Recent economic conditions, including high unemployment and the incredible absence of affordable housing have conspired to make the path to ending homelessness even more difficult, yet we persevere.

I attribute the success of the Homeless Resource Network to several groups of people.

First, I am extremely thankful for our supporters for sharing our vision of ending homelessness. Without you, the Homeless Resource Network would not exist.

I am deeply grateful to our incredible staff, who are relentless in their efforts to connect people to every tool available to increase self-sufficiency. These staff members treat everyone with dignity and compassion and have a smile for everyone. The attitude of our staff (including a sense of humor) has created a unique and effective organization rooted firmly in service to the most vulnerable among us.

The willingness of those we serve to share the good and the bad with us in their efforts to end their own homelessness is inspiring. I express my deepest appreciation for the privilege of participating in the solution.